NEW PALTZ The Alumni Magazine of the State University of New York at New Paltz
Spring 2016
SUSTAINABLE
FUTURES
HAPPENINGS > A DAY OF G RATITU D E
(see mor e a b out thi s on pg. 2 1 )
Scholarship recipients thanked donors for their support at the annual Day of Gratitude event hosted by the Office of Development and Alumni Relations at SUNY New Paltz. In this photo, Stephanie Rodriguez ’17 (Elementary Education) shares her plans for the future. She was the recipient of the School of Education Diversity Scholarship Visit the website below to learn more about scholarships through the SUNY New Paltz Foundation.
www.newpaltz.edu/give/
"When we think of sustainability, a lot of people just think of buying green products. We really have to think about something bigger."
—Jamie Levato ’03 (Elementary Education) ’06 (Literacy Education)
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6 SUSTAINABLE FUTURES SUNY New Paltz alumni make a difference 10 A BRAVE NEW WORLD Alumni leave their mark on design industry 17 FOUNDATION ANNUAL REPORT A summary of private support received from alumni, students, parents, employees and friends of New Paltz
10 D E PA R T M E N T S 2 Seen & Heard 16 Alumni Profile
N EW FEATURES!
26 Class Notes 37 Athletic News
Video related to story
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38 Relationships Story 39 Events Calendar 40 In Memoriam
Additional feature
41 Planned Giving
Cover: Jamie Levato ’03 (Elementary Education) ’06g (Literacy Education) at the Poughkeepsie Farm Project in Poughkeepsie, N.Y. Correction: Former chair of the Chemistry department Dr. Angelos V. Patsis was misidentified in a story on p. 14 of the fall 2015 issue of New Paltz Magazine.
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Seen & Heard S TAT E U N I V E R S I T Y O F N E W Y O R K
New Paltz Magazine Volume 34, No. 1, Spring 2016 President Donald P. Christian
REUNION 2015
Chief of Staff/Vice President for Communication and Executive Editor Shelly A. Wright Vice President for Development and Alumni Relations Erica Marks Director of Alumni Relations Shana Circe ’02 ’08g Editor Chrissie Williams Designer Jeff Lesperance Contributing Writers Andrew Bruso ’08 ’12g Contributing Photographers John Oles Robin Weinstein ’14 Ryan Pietraszek ’16 New Paltz Magazine, the alumni magazine of the State University of New York at New Paltz, is published semi-annually by the Office of Communication & Marketing and the Office of Development & Alumni Relations for alumni, faculty, parents, staff, and friends of the College. Its purpose is to keep this extended New Paltz community informed of and engaged with news and activities relating to the College. Diverse views appear in these pages and do not necessarily reflect the opinions of the editor or the official policies of the College. In keeping with the College’s sustainability efforts, this publication was printed on Opus Dull, a 30% post-consumer waste paper. Content Ideas/Letters/Feedback: Office of Communication & Marketing State University of New York at New Paltz 1 Hawk Drive New Paltz, NY 12561-2443 845.257.3245 www.newpaltz.edu/magazine magazine@newpaltz.edu Address Changes & Class Notes: Office of Development & Alumni Relations State University of New York at New Paltz 1 Hawk Drive New Paltz, NY 12561-2443 1.877.HAWK.001 (option #1) 845.257.3230 www.newpaltz.edu/alumni alumni@newpaltz.edu
SUNY New Paltz alumni were welcomed back to campus for Alumni Weekend and Reunion in October 2015. During the All-Class luncheon, the College presented its Heritage and Alumni Awards honoring Onika Jervis ’93 (Biology) ’05g (Educational Administration), Emeritus Professor of Art History Dr. William B. Rhoads and Amber Greene ’03 (Public Relations), pictured above. “It’s such an honor to return to the College and be so warmly received,” said Greene. “It feels as though I never left.” The Distinguished Alumni Service Award, presented to Greene, recognizes alumni volunteers who have made exceptional contributions in support of the activities of the SUNY New Paltz Alumni Association. Both Jervis and Rhoads were presented with the Heritage Awards, which recognize alumni, faculty and staff whose devotion to the ideals of the College serve as extraordinary examples to the entire New Paltz community.
(top, background: Alumni, current students and faculty enjoy a beautiful fall day on a hike to the Shawangunk Ridge during Alumni Weekend.)
Seen & Heard
Library renovations UNVEILED
Have you ever thought about gazing upon the Shawangunk Ridge as you studied? This experience is now possible after a multi-phase $14 million upgrade to the Sojourner Truth Library (STL). The completion of the main floor renovation marks the end of an extensive project to upgrade the entire Library, which has remained opened since the project began in 2009. The new STL main floor is equipped with state-of-the-art technologies and expanded learning and collaboration spaces, as well as aesthetic improvements that enhance natural light and views of the nearby Shawangunk Ridge. Throughout the spring ’16 semester, the Library will be the site of events featuring guest speakers, studentdriven artistic performances and discussions of research into the history of African-descended people in the Hudson Valley by faculty and local experts in celebration of the building’s namesake, Sojourner Truth. The spring marks the return of some favorite Library traditions, including the annual celebration of faculty authors, the Friends of the Library book sale and exhibitions in the display cases just inside the main entrance.
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Seen & Heard
College research center renamed in honor of founding director Dr. Gerald Benjamin “IT IS AN EXTRAORDINARY HONOR TO BE RECOGNIZED IN THIS WAY AT THE COLLEGE THAT I LOVE, AND HAVE HAD THE GREAT FORTUNE TO SERVE FOR ALMOST 50 YEARS.”- DR. GERALD BENJAMIN.
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UNY New Paltz celebrated the renaming of The Center for Research, Regional Engagement and Outreach (CRREO) to The Benjamin Center for Public Policy Initiatives at SUNY New Paltz, in honor of the Center’s Founding Director Dr. Gerald Benjamin, associate vice president for regional engagement at the College and a SUNY Distinguished Professor. Assemblymember Kevin Cahill (D-Kingston) ’77 (Political Science), a long-time supporter of CRREO, proclaimed his gratitude to Benjamin and for the work done by the Center.
He announced a $250,000 state grant to support the Center’s efforts. Originally founded in 2007 by Benjamin and then-President Steven Poskanzer, The Benjamin Center conducts and publishes impactful applied research to foster discussion of important issues and create well-informed paths to improve government and governance throughout the region.
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SEE MORE AT HTTP://WWW.NEWPALTZ.EDU/ BENJAMINCENTER
College announces new Alumni Director
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hana Circe ’02 ’08g has been appointed the College’s director of alumni relations. She began Feb. 22, after a competitive national search. Circe has served SUNY New Paltz in the Office of Undergraduate Admission for 12 years as director of on-campus recruitment and director of the Welcome Center. In 2013, she was invited to serve on the Alumni Task Force, focused on creating a strategic plan for the Office of Alumni Relations, ultimately resulting in the creation of the official SUNY New Paltz Alumni Association and the Alumni Council. She was then appointed to serve as a member of
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the Council from its inception to present, working on issues important to the diverse body of more than 64,000 New Paltz alumni. Circe received both her Bachelor of Science degree in Art Education and her Master of Science in Education in Visual Arts Education from New Paltz. She and her husband, Michael Circe ’05 ’09g (Education), met at SUNY New Paltz and now live with their two children in Kingston, N.Y.
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CHECK OUT THE NEW ALUMNI RELATIONS WEB PAGE AT WWW.NEWPALTZ.EDU/ALUMNI
Professor’s short fiction published in The New Yorker
1974 He is lying there with his cheek pressed against the cool white plaster of the wall. The spot where the oil of his flesh has so often touched the surface has discolored into a gray patch shaped like a heart. They have kept him in this room for so long, enveloped in his own stink, that they can no longer imagine him outside. He is meant to die in this room, meant to waste away or go mad—expire in some convenient way so the family can stop squandering their time on him. In the old days they would take the senile grandparents up into the hills and put them in a cave, roll a rock in front of the opening, leaving just enough of a gap to put some food through every day. And the family would send some devoted son or daughter up each morning with a bowl of rice—not enough, really, to sustain a life—until that one morning when the previous day’s offering would remain there, untouched, and then that son or daughter would come back down to the village keening for the old one’s death. A funeral. A good burial at an auspicious spot picked by a geomancer. And then, on all the ritual days, offerings of food to the spirit of the departed ancestor. He might as well have returned to the other world the day they put him in this room. They might as well have had a boulder there instead of a wood-and-paper door—or maybe that was how they imagined it themselves, because after the first week they hadn’t even bothered to lock him in. —Heinz Insu Fenkl, from Skull Water
“I think of the piece as autobiographical fiction.”—Professor Heinz Insu Fenkl (English)
SUNY New Paltz Associate Professor of English Heinz Insu Fenkl’s short story “Five Arrows” was published in the Aug. 3, 2015, issue of The New Yorker, alongside an interview with the author. “Five Arrows” is the story of a young boy’s visit to his uncle’s rural South Korea home. Fenkl spent time during his own childhood in the Korean countryside. Both the short story and the interview are available on The New Yorker website. Graywolf Press will publish “Five Arrows” in 2017, as part of a larger collection titled "Skull Water." In the excerpt below, Fenkl shares a scene that follows what was published in The New Yorker.
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Feature Story
USTAINABLE
FUTURES
One alumna working at an urban farm in Poughkeepsie, N.Y., is questioning how we grow our food, what we buy, and where personal accountability begins for creating a healthier, sounder world.
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hen we think of sustainability, a lot of people just think of buying green products. We really have to think about something bigger,” said Jamie Levato ’03 (Elementary Education) ’06g (Literacy Education). “What do we mean when we say 'sustain?' We mean doing everything in a way that can continue indefinitely.” Any idealistic notions that Levato might have had about farming and agriculture were transformed as she grew
up and came to understand the politics involved in food. Her family gardened and she found her interest in agriculture to be second nature. A growing sense of social responsibility complemented this instinct and eventually led to a career focused on both food and sustainability. Now, education director at the Poughkeepsie Farm Project, Levato helps children gain hands-on farming, gardening and cooking experience that supports sustainable agriculture,
The photos of fruit and vegetables that accompany this story were composed and photographed by staff photographer Robin Weinstein ’14 (Photography), editor Chrissie Williams and senior designer Jeff Lesperance. Most of the produce used was divided up between them and consumed at home (except for the delicate, leafty vegetables which did not survive the handling and bright lights!). (top, this page): Jamie Levato ’03 (Elementary Education) ’06 (Literacy Education) works at the Poughkeepsie Farm Project.
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Digging deeper
seed-saving and healthy eating. She credits the culture of the New Paltz campus with discovering this unique, professional fit. “At the College I was involved in student organizations that explored different avenues of environmentalism and social justice,” said Levato. “That activist community within the student organizations was key to developing my interest in advocacy work with disenfranchised communities.” Whether in the field or in the classroom, Levato and her colleagues search for ways to make a difference through Community Supported Agriculture (CSA), a strategy for building a sustainable food network with the support of neighbors who share a passion for forging intelligent, responsible relationships with the environment and the food we eat. The Poughkeepsie Farm Project began in 1999 as a small community farm with a commitment to education and food justice. The first season, 15 CSA shareholders enjoyed produce from three acres of revived farmland. “Sixteen years later we have expanded to 12 acres and over 475 members,” said Executive Director Lee Anne Albritton, who attended SUNY New Paltz. “We grew more than 150,000 pounds of produce in 2014, and donated nearly 28,000 pounds of it to those in need in our community.”
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A subset of environmental justice, the concept of food justice looks to clarify the relationship between politics and food. It seeks to provide all people, regardless of race, color, national origin or income, with healthy, safe food to eat. Through her work at the Poughkeepsie Farm Project Levato understands the importance of a strong local food system and its relationship to a healthy, sustainable environment. With a focus on CSA and education, she seeks to provide healthy, fresh fruits and vegetables to low-income youth, realizing it is just one piece of the puzzle. The real goal is to get them to eat these foods. Under Levato’s watch, the educational program at the Poughkeepsie Farm Project does just that. After offering students in the Poughkeepsie City School District the opportunity to work in an organic garden, they then cook meals together and ultimately taste the fruits of their labor. “They’re building a relationship with food,” said Levato. “They are learning to not only enjoy the process, but to respect it as well. Luckily, it’s become more than okay to enjoy the produce we cultivate. Kale is finally cool.”
A culture of change Like Levato, other New Paltz community members and administrators are seeking environmental solutions in additional areas. Recent efforts to make New Paltz a “greener” campus have been developed in direct response to Executive Order 88, signed by Gov. Andrew Cuomo in 2010. The order requires public agencies in New York State to reduce their source energy use intensity by 20 percent by 2020, a figure SUNY Chancellor Nancy L. Zimpher believes can be pushed to 30 percent for the SUNY System.
Solar panels outside Louis and Mildred Resnick Engineering Hall
These panels generate just under three kilowatts (kW) of power. Combined with other solar panel installations on campus, including the large system installed on the roof of the Athletic and Wellness Center, this increases the College’s solar power output to approximately 70 kW. Installation costs were offset by a grant from the New York State Energy Research and Development Authority (NYSERDA), a public benefit corporation that works to advance energy innovations that improve the state environment and its economy.
The College’s move to fulfill the Governor’s energy use mandate began with the development and implementation of an Energy Master Plan, consisting of 16 energy conservation measures, many of which are low-cost or no-cost strategies to reduce energy consumption. Some of these important changes have been made or are in progress, including: the establishment of six new electric vehicle charging locations on campus; the installation of a 2.8 KW ground mount photovoltaics (solar power) array at the Louis and Mildred Resnick Engineering Hall; and a partnership with the Central Hudson Commercial Lighting Program that allows New Paltz to upgrade 70 percent of all exterior lights on campus to more efficient LEDs. “We’re working hard to effect changes to campus that will have a lasting impact,” said Lisa Mitten, campus sustainability coordinator. “Energy efficiency is one of the ways we’re trying to make a difference for future alumni.” The College is making a consistent effort to encourage students to take an active role in environmental initiatives, too. One of the great successes is “Recyclemania,” an eightweek recycling competition between residence halls hosted by the Recycling Club since 2007. In addition, the Campus Auxillary Services (CAS) board of directors
unanimously voted to discontinue the sale of bottled water at the College. New Paltz now has 34 water bottle refill stations in 20 buildings that offer an alternative source for clean drinking water without the disposable packaging. “The campus is known for respecting the environment,” said Levato. “It’s no surprise to see the continuous developments and changes that are making it a greener place to live and learn.” The College is beginning to garner recognition for these endeavors. In 2015 New Paltz joined an exclusive list of fewer than 350 higher education institutions that earned recognition from the Association for the Advancement of Sustainability in Higher Education (AASHE). New Paltz was granted a Silver Rating from the AASHE's Sustainability Tracking, Assessment & Rating System (STARS), recognizing sustainability achievements across all aspects of campus life from academics, engagement and operations, to planning and administration.
Electric vehicle charging stations
SUNY New Paltz has installed six electric vehicle (EV) charging stations for use by faculty, staff, students and visitors. The Office of Campus Sustainability (OCS) expects the stations to make it more convenient for members of the campus community to choose environmentally friendly modes of transportation for their commute to and from New Paltz. EV charging will cost $1/hour for the first four hours, then $5/hour after that.
Exterior LED lighting
New exterior LED fixtures are estimated to use 72% less electricity than current fixtures, reducing the College’s electric bill by approximately $50,000 each year. LED installation is also underway in residence halls across campus and have been completed in LeFevre and Ridgeview halls.
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Feature Story
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New Paltz
School of Fine & Performing Arts
ANEW BRAVE WORLD
ALUMNI LEAVE THEIR MARK ON DESIGN INDUSTRY
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HE GRAPHIC DESIGN PROGRAM AT SUNY NEW PALTZ IS DEDICATED TO THE CONVICTION THAT BROADLY EDUCATED INDIVIDUALS MAKE GOOD DESIGNERS. THE PROGRAM AIMS TO HELP STUDENTS UNLOCK THEIR CREATIVITY BY INTEGRATING A LIBERAL ARTS CORE WITH A RIGOROUS DESIGN CURRICULUM.
Positioned as a cross-disciplinary practice with skills drawn from psychology, sociology, anthropology, communication, digital media and fine art, design students are challenged not only to “do” design, but to think, read, write and talk about design. This approach prepares students for the field as it evolves with technological advances. It is a brave new world, one where New Paltz alumni are finding their niche and leaving their mark. "Design is a study for people who are interested in a lot of subjects,” said Jonathan Pfeiffer ’08 (Graphic Design), art director at Noë & Associates, a brand consultancy in New York City. “You can use design to study almost anything, and that really is the best part of this career.” Pfeiffer spoke to the New Paltz Magazine from Miami, where he was scouting locations for an upcoming project. He said he loves his profession and is enthusiastic about technological changes in the industry that make incredible things possible. “I see the design world going in two directions, toward virtual reality and high-end work,” said Pfeiffer. “Print is becoming more specialized and conceptualized, while digital is more accessible, but that’s also where things are really getting wild.” Developing technology used to create, present and materialize graphic art forces designers and educators to push new boundaries. The College’s graphic design curriculum responds with teaching techniques that span the range of technologies and bridge the gap between academic disciplines.
The photos on the opposite page are of artwork created by current SUNY New Paltz student Jacqueline McCullough ’16 (Graphic Design). Taken from her thesis project, "Public Positivity," the images are meant to bring a bit of positivity to people through hand-lettered public art. View more of McCullough's project online at instagram.com/publicpositivity.
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The Digital Design and Fabrication program is one such collaboration between the School of Fine and Performing Arts and the School of Science and Engineering. The program was developed to introduce students to the world of possibilities accessible through 3D printing, while keeping in mind the broader social, cultural and technological extensions and ramifications of this important new toolkit. “The interface of digital design and new fabrication technologies like 3D printing will revolutionize how we design and create objects,” said Dan Freedman, dean of the School of Science and Engineering and director of the Hudson Valley Advanced Manufacturing Center (HVAMC) at SUNY New Paltz. “This collaborative program is targeted at both businesses and entrepreneurs interested in rapid prototyping and the art and design community.” While SUNY New Paltz continues to adapt to new technologies, some alumni working in the field are having to adapt, too. For alumnus Tim Brown ’03 (Graphic Design), the world of typography pro-
for controlling these details, and I later found out that QuarkXPress was that application.” Brown credits his liberal arts education and his graphic design major with helping him see graphics and typography through a more cohesive lens. He understands that the world of web design is continuously evolving, and takes great pains to do his part in helping the industry develop a practical understanding of how that affects online typesetting. His work can be viewed at practice.typekit.com. “Successful font combinations all depend on context and design goals," he said. "The idea of web fonts changed everything in how I design, and it is such an exciting space to be in right now.” Brown is not the only alumnus to find success at Adobe. Justin Mass ’01 (Secondary Education), director of Digital Learning, also credits the College’s all-encompassing approach to teacher education combined with a content major with helping him land at the company in Silicon Valley. “My undergraduate experience at New Paltz
"MY UNDERGRADUATE EXPERIENCE AT NEW PALTZ WAS THE ON-RAMP TO MY CAREER IN DESIGN, LEARNING AND TECHNOLOGY".—JUSTIN MASS '01 vides a focal point for understanding the ongoing design evolution. “Fundamental aspects of typesetting that have existed for hundreds of years are being challenged right now,” said Brown. “In facing that challenge we need to strike a balance between our traditions and this new environment.” Brown’s interest in how typography unites the old and new has led to a prosperous career as Head of Typography for Adobe Type and Typekit. A New Paltz resident and web designer for 13 years, Brown started a design blog four years ago that eventually brought him to his current position at Adobe. He has found solutions to design problems by applying the skills he developed as a New Paltz student. “The graphic design program at New Paltz is typographically rich, and I was introduced there to many excellent resources,” said Brown. “As an art major writing college essays, I was frustrated by how difficult it was to control margins and spacing in Word. I knew there had to be a better application
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was the on-ramp to my career in design, learning and technology,” said Mass. “Through my education classes I learned the fundamentals of what is known in the business/professional world as instructional design – the ability to design experiences that will help people achieve their potential, help them take ownership of their own learning and inspire their curiosity. These are all signatures of my time at New Paltz.” For Mass, the journey toward a career in graphic design and education goes hand in hand with ventures in technology. The interconnectedness transcends the curriculum and prepares students to adapt. To those just now embarking on their own journeys in design, Mass has a simple piece of advice: concentrate on developing a deep and varied creative intelligence and prepare to have access to the most powerful design tools ever seen. “Ask yourself,” Mass implores current students. “What will I become a technologist of?”
DESIGN WORKSHOP
"DO WHAT YOUR GUT TELLS YOU, TAKE A LEAP AT THE VERY BEGINNING BECAUSE YOU HAVE NOTHING TO LOSE." —ROB MOSTRANSKY '08
This image is from a collaborative workshop organized by current students and graphic design alumni. Michael Mallon ’08, center with hat, and Rob Mostransky ’08, in the white shirt, are pictured here. The workshop included a Q&A session and a design brief where alumni worked in collaborative teams with students.
Alumni Profile
Annie Nocenti ’79 me to infuse meaning into entertainment.” Finds her allows As a full-time freelance writer, Nocenti cannot help but romanticize the act of comic book writing. Each panel is designed precisely, each page part of voice at the story that paints a linguistic picture. But she also notes that she applies the same principles to comics Marvel as she does any other narrative platform, including journalism and documentary film. It always boils Comics down to strong characters and compelling conflict.
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ny true comic book fan understands that succeeding writer Frank Miller’s work on “Daredevil” is a tough act to follow. But when that exact challenge was presented to Annie Nocenti ’79 (Communication), she found the opportunity to write for Marvel Comics too intriguing to refuse. “I adore the distinctive language and storytelling with a perfect balance of words and pictures,” said Nocenti. “All my training in the visual arts helped the way I view writing in terms of thinking in pictures.” Daredevil is one of Marvel’s enduring super heroes, revisited time and again in books and graphic novels, film and most recently a Netflix television series. Known as the “Man without Fear,” the character, a blind attorney who relied on the hyperawareness of his other senses to fight crime, was portrayed by Nocenti as a relentless champion for justice. Nocenti’s interpretation of Daredevil took on an added significance when we consider her own journey, as a woman breaking into a comic book industry long dominated by men. Her approach frequently used storytelling as a platform for expressing her own sense of right and wrong. “We have things inside of us that we want to get out,” she said. “My comics have always been kind of political because they give me the opportunity to address social justice issues. The medium
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“The principles of good storytelling can be applied to anything,” she said. “Whether it’s sitting around a campfire and entertaining your friends or creating a comic book character who will prevail.” Nocenti worked as an editor for Marvel Comics on the Uncanny X-Men and New Mutants, collaborating with artists help to create a number of memorable characters like Blackheart, Longshot, Mojo, Typhoid Mary and Spiral. But the alumna has found a successful freelance career well beyond comic book panels. A journalist, filmmaker and writer she has had her work appear in a variety of prestigious publications and has traveled to both Pakistan and Haiti for a number of writing and video projects. For her, a freelance career is all about storytelling. “It’s a skill that you develop and it ends up in your bones,” said Nocenti. “The story transcends the medium.”
Annie Nocenti ’79 in her New York City apartment with a sampling of magazines in which some of her writing and photography have been featured. She wrote for "Daredevil" for five years and returned to comics to write "Catwoman." She was also the editor of "Scenario, The magazine of Screenwriting Art" for six years, where she interviewed many great directors and screenwriters, including Coppola, Polanski, Kaufman, Aronofsky and others. Her series about teaching in Haiti, which also includes Annie's stunning photography, "Goudou Goudou," can be found at http://hilobrow.com/tag/goudou-goudou/.
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Alumni Profile
As 50th Reunion approaches, alumnus looks to engage classmates
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he changes to campus are obvious. But for one alumnus, SUNY New Paltz will always feel like home. Bruce Orenstein ’68 (Secondary Education) has a profound affinity for the College and is preparing to share that connection with his fellow alumni when he returns for his reunion in 2018. “Fifty years,” he said. “It gives me goose bumps every time I hear that number.”
Currently Vice President – Wealth Management for UBS Financial Services Inc. in Paramus, N.J., Orenstein takes on leadership roles when the opportunity arises and continues to give back to New Paltz in a variety of ways. In the last five decades he has shared his success with the College, where he previously served on the Foundation Board and generously volunteered his time for Reunion during the 1980s and 1990s. “I consider this upcoming anniversary a call to action for my fellow alumni,” said Orenstein. “We have nearly three years to get ready and I think it’s important for us to reengage with New Paltz. Those were the four most important years of my life.” Orenstein considers the whole New Paltz experience life changing. He met his wife, Sandi L. Orenstein (Schwartz) ’67 (Education) here, and many other lifelong friends. He hopes to leave a trace of that legacy, and that of the class of 1968, to future generations of alumni in the form of a new “Walk of Honor” – Orenstein’s own idea for a brick path, named to honor alumni who have navigated the campus grounds, as well as faculty, staff and others who have inspired them. It would be a passageway for students to follow, a metaphor for opportunity and the things that keep us grounded. “The College was a huge part of my life,” Orenstein said, “and it’s important to create a legacy to honor our class. Giving away scholarships is part of that legacy, but I want to see us do more.”
Bruce and Sandi in front of the stained glass windows in Old Main during a recent visit to the College.
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Annual Report
SUNY New Paltz Foundation Annual Report 2014–2015
Philanthropic support makes countless opportunities possible for our students. The annual report outlined in the following pages covers the fiscal year that began on July 1, 2014 and ended on June 30, 2015. It offers a glimpse of the private support the SUNY New Paltz Foundation receives from its alumni, parents, students, organizations, employees, friends and community members.
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his report celebrates that support and your steadfast encouragement. We have made significant strides in the last year and are confident about our future because of your contributions. After finishing the first year of an ambitious threeyear fundraising initiative that seeks to raise $10 million, we can proudly acknowledge our successes. The Foundation raised $3.4 million toward our goal, more than twice what was raised the previous year. The original $10 million goal included $5 million for scholarships; $2 million for student scholarly research and creative projects and activities; $1 million to help The Benjamin Center for Public Policy Initiatives (formerly CRREO) advance the public interest of New York citizens; and $2 million for the Fund for New Paltz. These
four priorities are central to the College and future New Paltz alumni. There is no part of campus life that does not benefit from the support and generosity offered by our numerous donors and supporters. We invite you to consider our students and their education as a valuable investment of your time and resources. As always, we are deeply grateful for the philanthropic contributions and encouragement that continue to inspire our students, our faculty and all of us at SUNY New Paltz. Thank you.
Erica Marks Executive Director SUNY New Paltz Foundation
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Annual Report
The impact of philanthropy on significant programs Alumni program highlights Many alumni serve as volunteers on various school and departmental advisory boards, where their time, advice, student mentorship and financial support deserve praise and
monthly e-newsletter. Fifty SUNY New Paltz alumni-employees hosted student internships at their work sites here at the College. A redesigned Reunion weekend attracted a more diverse, multi-generational group of alumni.
Hudson Valley Advanced Manufacturing Center (HVAMC)
recognition. Alumni participation in giving is currently at 2.9 percent so we encourage your gifts, large and small, to help us attain our goal of 9 percent. In 2014, New Paltz hosted 17 regional alumni events across the United States, including Texas, California, Georgia, Washington, D.C., New York and Washington State. More than 60,000 alumni were sent two issues of the New Paltz Magazine and nearly half of all alumni receive Connect, our
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The Hudson Valley Advanced Manufacturing Center (HVAMC) is the organizational home of the College’s ambitious 3D printing program and integrates strengths in engineering, computer science, technology, and the innovation and creativity of the arts. It employs 10 graduate and undergraduate students as interns. In fiscal year 2015, HVAMC purchased and installed the most-advanced 3D printing equipment in the region and doubled its clients to more than 100. The program received an $850,000 allocation from New York State to build a 3D printing lab and a $10 million SUNY 2020 challenge grant to build an Engineering Innovation Hub to support the Mechanical Engineering pro-
gram, including 3D printing.
The Dorsky The Samuel Dorsky Museum of Art offered seven well-received and well-attended exhibitions in fiscal year 2015 that obtained media placements in a number of local and national outlets including: NPR, The New York Times, ArtNews, Litchfield County Times, and Modern Painters. Annual attendance at the museum reached 13,305, an all-time high. The Dorsky, lead member of the Hudson Valley Visual Art Collections Consortium (HVVACC), launched a webaccessible database (www.hrvh. org/cdm/landingpage/collection/hvvacc) that features images and information for more than 7,000 objects from the collections of The Dorsky and four other Ulster County visual arts organizations—the Center for Photography at Woodstock, Woodstock Artists Association and Museum, Woodstock Byrdcliffe Guild, and Women’s Studio Workshop.
PianoSummer SUNY New Paltz presented the 21st season of PianoSummer, an international summer institute and festival dedicated solely to piano music. Under the artistic direction of the internationally renowned maestro, Vladimir Feltsman,
Annual Report the College hosted concerts, recitals, master classes and piano competitions, some free of charge. The centerpiece of this year’s festival was the Jacob Flier Piano Competition, honoring the Russian pianist who taught many prominent musicians, including Feltsman. Feltsman, distinguished professor of piano at SUNY New Paltz, founded PianoSummer in 1994. One of the distinctive features of the Institute was, and continues to be the focus on an integrated approach to learning and performance.
James H. Ottaway Sr. Visiting Professor of Journalism Award-winning author and multimedia narrative journalist Alissa Quart, served as the 2015 James H. Ottaway Sr. Visiting Professor of Journalism where she gave a public
lecture titled “Truly Social Media: Social Justice Reporting in the Digital Age.” Her talk centered on exciting innovations in journalism that Quart said are “bringing back a truly social media: one with a greater engagement in social issues.” The James H. Ottaway Sr. Visiting Professorship, the College’s only endowed professorship, is named for the founder of Ottaway Newspapers Inc., now the Local Media Group, which operates print and online community media franchises in seven states. The flagship newspaper of the chain is the Times Herald-Record in Middletown, N.Y.
Scholarships
Scholarships are one of the most direct ways a donor can impact the lives of New Paltz students and include student financial aid for tuition as well as applied learning opportunities
such as study abroad, research, internships and honors that add a margin of excellence to the New Paltz student experience. In academic year 20142015, 135 students received scholarships from the Foundation and nine new annual and endowed scholarships were established to support the College’s recruitment and retention efforts.
If you w ou to receiv ld like e-news e our letter an d email announ cements o in your area, ple f events a s e conta alumni ct @
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(above) Alissa Quart served as the 2015 James H. Ottaway Sr., Visiting Professor of Journalism. (left) The Jervis McEntee exhibit at The Dorsky.
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Annual Report
New Endowments
E
ndowed gifts enhance the educational experience at the College and may be established with as little as $25,000 for a recruitment scholarship. Other endowed scholarships start at $40,000 and program support endowments at $50,000. These endowments support a specific purpose, program, academic department or activity. The focus is always on providing future alumni with the best opportunity to learn, grow and prepare for the future. A number of new endowments were received on behalf of our students in the last fiscal year. New endowments
Anthony Brigandi Scholarship Donna & Diana Zucca Endowed Scholarship Milton “Sparky” Garrison Memorial Endowed Scholarship Owens Family Arts Administration Internship Fund
Featured endowments Donald P. and Sandra K. Christian Presidential Scholarship Student recipient: Meredith Eldridge ’16 Established in 2015 by Donald P. and Sandra K. Christian to provide scholarship support for students who also participate in faculty-mentored student research and scholarship through the Undergraduate Research, Scholarship and Creative Activities program (RSCA) or through The Benjamin Center for Public Policy Initiatives (formerly CRREO).
“There is no better investment any society can make than educating the next generation of its citizens.” - College President Donald P. Christian
Dr. Joseph C. Paparone Endowed Scholarship Student recipient: Jennifer Berger ’15 Established in 2014 by Dr. Joseph C. Paparone, family and friends to provide scholarship support for juniors majoring in Theatre Arts with a concentration in Design Technology.
“Design and Technology students deserve to be recognized for their admirable dedication to theatre arts.” – Dr. Joseph C. Paparone, Emeritus Professor in Theatre
Jennifer Berger ’15 and Dr. Joseph C. Paparone, professor emeritus (theatre)
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New Paltz
Annual Report
A day of gratitude
Scholarship recipients say thank you to donors Cetrino Family/Rubin Benjamin Endowed Scholarship Student recipients: Emily Vanderpool ’16 and Joseph Russo ’16 Established in 2015 to provide undergraduate students who are interested in a career in public service with scholarships in the form of internship support to assist with research projects at The Benjamin Center for Public Policy Initiatives (formerly CRREO).
Alexandria Griffiths ’17 (Digital Media) was the recipient of the Peg Leg Bates Memorial Scholarship
“A major contribution that Professor Benjamin has made are the thousands of students that he has trained to work in state and local governments in this state, and across the country, who continue to make a difference.”
– Thomas Cetrino ’73 (Political Science), pictured above with students Emily Vanderpool ’16 and Joseph Russo ’16
T
he Office of Development and Alumni Relations hosted a special Day of Gratitude event for scholarship recipients. Scholarship winners gathered in the Student Union Building to share their stories and thank donors. College staff captured their testimonials on video, took professional photos of the students, and collected the personal “thank you” letters written to the individuals and companies who made their scholarships possible. “The event was an opportunity for us to bring as many current scholarship recipients together as possible to express their gratitude to those who sponsor the scholarships,” said Eileen Bastien, project director for donor relations and stewardship. Alexandria Griffiths ’17 (Digital Media) was the recipient of the Peg Leg Bates Memorial Scholarship. “This scholarship will allow me to purchase textbooks and help with tuition,” said Griffiths (pictured above). “I would like to become an executive news producer in the future and want to extend my sincere gratitude for this award.”
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Annual Report
The Tower Society The Tower Society recognizes those who have chosen to leave a gift to New Paltz in their estate or retirement plans. These gifts may be directed to support specific programs such as student scholarships or academic departments. Deferred gifts help New Paltz grow and pursue new opportunities, securing its place as a leader in higher education. Deferred gifts are those that mature after a donor’s lifetime, such as bequests through wills, life insurance policies, trusts, annuities, retirement plans, and life estates. These gifts are relatively simple to make and almost always trigger a favorable tax event, so donors are encouraged to consult legal, accounting or financial advisers. When combined with current gifts, deferred gifts may also be used to secure naming privileges for endowment funds, buildings, and other physical spaces at SUNY New Paltz. Dr. Gerald J. & Marie C. Robbins Scholarship Fund Dr. Gerald (Jerry) Robbins ’78 (Chemistry) had a long and successful medical career made possible by the love and support of his wife, Marie Colette Robbins, who he married in 1974.
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New Paltz
"We truly enjoyed the journey," said Colette. "We shared common goals and always supported one another.” At the College Jerry discovered a way of combining his love of chemistry with his love of helping people—a career in medicine. After New Paltz he received his M.D. from the Medical College of Virginia at Virginia Commonwealth University in Richmond, Va., and completed his fellowships in Internal Medicine and also Hematology/Oncology at the University of Connecticut John Dempsey Hospital in Farmington, Conn. During his 35-year career, Jerry was also involved with several professional organizations. He served as president of the Florida Society of Clinical Oncology (FLASCO) from 2009 to 2011 where he spearheaded a patient advocacy program that is still in action today. Since his devastating death in 2015, Colette often looks back on her husband’s legacy of philanthropy and remembers how often he would reflect on those who helped him. “New Paltz was always top on the list,” she said. In an effort to pay it forward, Jerry established a scholarship fund in the family name to benefit future students, the Dr. Gerald J. & Marie C. Robbins Scholarship Fund. This deferred gift matures after
the donors' lifetimes and will provide much-needed support to future New Paltz students. Tower Society Members Miss Agnes C. Adams ’47 Ms. Susan M. Baggerman ’57 & ’72 Ms. Mary Elizabeth C. Bannon ’81 Mr. Stephen D. Becker ’70 Dr. John T. Beetar ’74, ’76g Dr. Ruth C. Bergman ’44 Mr. Francis ’53 and Mrs. Bonnie Cahill Mr. Tom E. Cetrino ’73 Dr. Arthur A. Delaney ’53 Ms. Barbara E. Dorner ’67 Mr. Noah P. Dorsky Dr. Lynne L. Doty ’75 Mr. Alan ’69, ’91g and Mrs. Francoise Dunefsky Dr. Phyllis R. Freeman and Dr. David Krikun Mr. Joseph A. and Mrs. Gail K. Gallerie Mr. Matthew Healey Mr. Darren F. Hernandez ’91 Mr. Charles S. Houser ’75 Mr. Craig Jessup ’75 and Mr. Jim Parsons ’70 Mr. Mark I. Kalish ’73 Miss Elaine Kniffen ’36 Dr. Helen E. Kochant Ms. Ann Kubik ’68 Dr. Mark ’67 and Ms. Joyce ’68 Lapping Ms. Lilla LoCurto and Mr. William Outcault Mr. Brian E. Logan, Esq. ’86 Mr. Robert ’68 ’71g ’80cas and Mrs. Henrietta ’68 ’71g Mountz Dr. John J. Neumaier Mr. William Palladino Mr. David Ping Mrs. Colette Robbins Ms. Lynda Schwab-Edmundson ’78 ’82g Ms. Ruth A. Smith ’77 Dr. Giancarlo Traverso Mr. Armand ’54 and Mrs. Roberta Trivilino Mr. Michael J. Uvanni PhD ’72 Ms. Laura R. Walker ’76
Annual Report
Young alumni giving back Ms. Millicent A. Wall ’53 Mrs. Dolly Wodin Ms. Donna L. Zucca ’63 and Ms. Diana Zucca Deceased members Ms. Alice J. Bartner ’39 Dr. Mary E. Boyle Mr. Edwin ’38 and Mrs. Louise Braem Mr. Lawrence Braun Mr. Arvid C. and Mrs. Mary Gallagher Burke ’28 Ms. Theresa Ceruti Ms. Karen A. Chaffee ’91, ’94g Ms. Ruth Cleveland Adah M. Copeland Ms. Ruth P. Cummings ’65 Ms. Wokie O. David ’75 Ms. Ruth DeRoberts ’20 Mr. Edwin B. Dezendorf ’57 Mr. Samuel Dorsky Professor Frank and Mrs Gertrude Eckelt Ms. Lulu J. Eisenhauer Mr. Alfred H. Enlund ’39 Ms. Grace E. Elliott Mrs. Ida Gerald ’31 Ms. Evelyn Gluckman PhD ’58 Mr. William J. Hageny Mr. Oscar and Mrs. Freda ’30 Heinz Mrs. Dorothea Hopfer ’19 Mr. O. Lincoln Igou Mr. Edgar E. Jackson Mr. Norman Kellar, Esq. Dr. Sara F. Luther ’74g Mr. Ted Moy ’53 Ms. Anne E. Mungeer ’11 Mr. Hugo Munsterberg Mrs. Joan E. Palladino ’62 Mr. Louis and Mrs. Mildred Resnick Dr. Gerald Robbins ’78 Dr. Olga Santora Mrs. Nadia L. Shepard Mr. David H. Smith Mrs. Muriel Smolen Ms. Iris Stedener Dr. Margaret Wade-Lewis Professor Evelyn Acomb and Professor Herman Walker Professor Herman Walker Mr. Albert Wang Professor Lilian Whitford Professor Martin H. Wodin PhD
Tom Hughes ’11 (Accounting) Current residence: Staten Island, N.Y. Profession: CPA, Financial Analyst at Blackstone Group
Vanessa Figueroa ’05 (Molecular Biology) Current Residence: Riverdale, N.Y. Profession: Freelance Pharmaceutical Microbiologist
When I was a student, I worked for the SUNY New Paltz Foundation; I learned the Foundation’s inside operations, and the positive support they provided current students. This inspired me to give back when I was a student sitting on the committee for senior class gift, and once I finished graduate school, as an alumnus.
My senior year was really tough for me financially and I was fortunate to receive two scholarships. Being awarded those scholarships meant everything, back then $1,000 was like $100,000. Most people don't apply for scholarships just because they feel like it; they apply because they need the financial support. Now I want to pay it forward.
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Annual Report
Foundation Board member Philip Berkowitz ’75 serves the College in many ways As an alumnus, Foundation Board Director, and Educational Opportunity Program Scholarship supporter, Philip Berkowitz ’75 (Journalism) understands the impact of philanthropy at the College. “New Paltz is a great school
campus visits and through support of scholarship opportunities.” In 2015, Berkowitz’s contributions to the College included engaging students by organizing and moderating an alumni panel in April on human rights issues in China and the United States. Berkowitz also supports the Educational Opportunity Program Scholarship that allowed Melly Maldonado ’15 (Psychology) and Kaycia Sailsman Foundation Board welcomes new members ’15 (Journalism) The SUNY New Paltz Foundation held its annual to travel abroad meeting of the Board of Directors in New York City as part of their in June 2015. New Paltz experi New directors elected to a three-year term were ence. Fitzarnaz Drummond ’06 (Finance and Manage “Studying ment), Michael Mosher and Noah Dorsky, who abroad teaches returned to the Board after a one-year hiatus, and you concepts that Susan Najork ’67 ’70g (Education) (whose term are not learned in began Jan. 1, 2015). classrooms,” said In addition, three directors were reelected. They Maldonado, who are: Brent Cutler ’79 (History), Myra Kressner ’76 traveled to South (Education) and Barbara Scherr. Korea. “This The 2015–16 slate of officers was also apscholarship really proved. Reelected officers are Michael Keegan, helped while I chair; Leonard Boccia ’89 (Finance and Marketing), was studying first vice chair; Mary Etta Schneider, treasurer; and abroad. I now Barbara Scherr, secretary. Mickey Jamal was newly have a different elected as second vice chair. perspective of the world.” Berkowitz is and a great place to study,” said no stranger to the opportunities Berkowitz. “I am incredibly that exist beyond the classimpressed with the students and room. He is an international professors, and I am very happy employment and labor lawyer. to offer my experience through His clients include many mul-
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tinational companies, as well as foreign companies and financial services institutions doing business in the United States. Berkowitz is a frequent speaker before many international chambers of commerce, bar associations, and other international organizations. He received his law degree from Northwestern School of Law in 1978. He was also a visiting student at Cornell Law School. He is now the co-chair of law firm Littler Mendelson's U.S. International Employment Law Practice Group, where he advises multinational and domestic companies in a wide range of industries on employment-related matters. Littler is the largest labor and employment law firm in the United States, and also has offices in Canada, Germany, Mexico, and throughout Latin America. While his legal career keeps him busy, he is always happy to return to New Paltz. His service on the Foundation Board, where he is Chair of the Governance and Nominating Committee, exemplifies his commitment to the College. “Volunteering on the Board is just one way I stay connected with the school the students, and the great administrative staff,” said Berkowitz. “And continued student success keeps me motivated.”
Annual Report
The SUNY New Paltz Foundation July 1, 2014–June 30, 2015
Sources of Support Alumni: $1,892,131
55.1%
Corporations and Other: $500,056
14.6% 1.9%
Current and Former Faculty and Staff: $63,820
3.9% 5.9%
Current Students: $132,729 Foundations: $202,863
12.1%
Friends: $416,982
6.5%
ALUMNI
2.9%
ALUMNI
9%
PARTICI PATION: C U R R E NT
Parents: $223,382
TOTAL: $3,431,963
PARTICI PATION: GOAL
Supported Areas
<1%
1%
Athletics: $21,417
Library: $47,182
2%
6%
Other: $85,186
Benjamin Center: $206,236
52% Scholarships: $1,768,563 9% Dorsky Museum: $320,486
13%
16%
Academic Divisions: $450,277
Unrestricted: $532,616
Fund for New Paltz: $377,360 Unrestricted Endowment: $155,256
Annual: $270,882 Endowed: $1,497,681
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Class Notes
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Rita (Solomon) Drucker (Early Childhood Education) and her husband, Harvey Drucker, were honored on Nov. 2,
Address your class notes to: Class Notes Office of Development and Alumni Relations 1 Hawk Drive New Paltz, NY 12561-2443 e-mail: alumni@newpaltz.edu fax: 845.257.4412 Correspondence, which may be edited for purposes of clarity or space, should include your full name, class year, major, address, home telephone and e-mail address. Submit online at www.new paltz.edu/magazine/ Notes submitted online are viewable immediately and remain posted for up to three months, as well as being included in the next edition of "New Paltz Magazine," so submit today.
Join us for Reunion, Oct. 14–16, 2016!
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Frederick B. Bunt (Mathematics) and his wife Catherine recently celebrated their 60th wedding anniversary. The couple met while attending Queens College, City University of New York, in the late 1940s and married on July 9, 1955. Catherine hails from Jamaica, N.Y. and Fred from Flushing, Queens. The Bunts were on their honeymoon in Mexico City when Fred got the news that he'd been hired as a professor at SUNY New Paltz. After 10 years at the College, Fred became dean of the School of Education at Pace University in New York City and Westchester. Ultimately he was with Pace for 35 years, teaching computer languages for the latter half. There was a brief year Fred spent in Illinois, when he was hired at the National College of Education in Evanston, but New Paltz proved to be the stronger draw and the couple remained here. Catherine continued to teach until their oldest daughter was born. The couple have four
children: Cathleen, Cindy, Patricia and son Rick. Fred is a former president of the New Paltz Rotary Club and the Paltz Club and Catherine is a longtime member of the New Paltz Garden Club and the Women's Study Club.
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Denis Versweyveld (Art Education) and Judith E. (Rey) Versweyveld ’63 (Visual Arts Education), a husband and wife team, will be featured in an exhibition at Castleton Downtown Gallery in Rutland, Vt. titled “A Sense of Place.” The exhibit will feature paintings, drawings, sculptures and mixed media pieces. The Verweyvelds work together in their home and studios built from two old barns in Ferrisburgh, Vt.
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John R. Rodwick (Elementary Education) lives in a small farming community (Fruita) near Grand Junction and the Colorado/Utah border. After leaving New York in 1963 with a master’s degree from SUNY Albany, he earned a doctorate in
higher education and psychology at the University of Northern Colorado. He worked at the University of Colorado as a dean then for the Colorado community college system as a vice president and professor. He says, “Great career and now a great place to retire.”
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Joan A. Castka (Biology) is currently a committee member of the Hurley Roosters and worked behind the scenes to launch "Hurley... Something to Crow About,” a collection of metal roosters painted by local artists and put on display. Richard Albert Hogle (Art Education) writes "I recently received an email inviting me to a black tie reception and opening at the Museum of Modern Art in New York City. In 1970 I worked with two other people, Willoughby Sharp and Liz Baer, in putting together the initial and first edition of a new arts magazine called Avalanche. The first issue was fall 1970. The invite from MoMA was to celebrate the Avalanche Magazine Archives opening at MoMA. Now living outside of Santa Fe, N.M., in la Puebla - retired and loving it. Never dreamed I would ever have work in MoMA.”
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Sander Diamond (History) holds a doctorate in German history. He is professor of history at Keuka College in Central N.Y. and has served as visiting professor of German history at Hobart and William Smith Colleges, and the State University of New York at Binghamton. In 1979 he was awarded a National Endowment for the Humanities Fellowship and in May 1997 was named Professor of the Year by his colleagues. For more than 25 years, Diamond has written about the Nazi Years. “The Nazi Movement in the United States, 19241941,” was first published by Cornell University Press in 1974, was nominated for a Pulitzer Prize in history and was used in
connection with a PBS special. Dr. Diamond's next book, “Herr Hitler: Amerikas Diplomaten, Washington und der Untergang Weimars,” examined how much the U.S. Department of State knew about the rise of Hitler in the 1920s and was published by Droste Verlag in Dusseldorf in 1985. Dr. Diamond is also the author of three novels: “Starik” (1988) and “The Red Arrow” (1990), both co-authored with Jeff Rovin and published by E.P. Dutton, and “The German Table: the Education of a Nation” (1999) published by Disc-Us Books. He and his wife Susan live on lovely Keuka Lake, in Central N.Y. Janice M. Henning (Visual Arts Education) continues her second career as a watercolor artist. She was recently designated a Signature Watercolor Artist (DWS) by the Delaware Watercolor Society. Her work is featured on her website www.jansmountainart.com and her latest work involves watercolor painting using translucent Yupo paper.
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Sheila Hutcheon-Barr (Visual Arts Education) writes “Hello from Indiana... It's been a long path from then to now and we would have many memories and life stories to share. I taught elementary art for about 40 years and am enjoying volunteering with four non-profits in retirement: P.E.O. (an educational organization that provides scholarships to women); the local hospital; Franklin Symphonic Council that brings music and art to the county, sends children to the Indianapolis Symphony, and more; and Morning Light which raises funds for a hospice facility for homeless and indigent people. I still have the heart and soul of the 1960s... with pride. Dredge up in your memory the lyrics of ‘Where have all the flowers gone?’ and wonder.”
Meet the Roosters!
"Back in 1801, a simple metal rooster weather vane was placed on the tall steeple of the new stone church. Proud Hurley residents finally had a church to call their own. Now in 2015, the antique rooster with its distinctly folk art look has a safe roost inside today's church, and its silhouette adorns many properties around town. Twenty-two artists with Hurley connections have applied their talents in diverse interpretations of the original Hurley rooster. "— www.facebook.com/HurleyHeritageSociety above: "Henry VIII, Side B" by Tina Oppenheimer See Joan A. Castka '63 note
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Julie Freestone (English) along with her husband (Rudi Raab) published a compelling historical novel based on their life stories. “Stumbling Stone” follows Jewish reporter Sarah Stern and German-born Berkeley, California police officer Karl Schmidt across two continents as they explore what his family did during World War II. The book is about prejudice, reconciliation and family secrets. More information, including a review by Robert Maurer (1965) can be found on http://stumbling-stone.com. Sadie Penzato ‘68g (Art Education) ‘76cas is an artist and author, who at age 84 has earned five degrees, published a memoir, taught art for 20 years and is now showing and selling some of her paintings in her barn gallery at her home in Highland, N.Y. The paintings are primarily figurative works, many done of family members or students. Most are painted in oils over an acrylic underpainting. She has also painted canvases involving non-figurative elements that include cows and chickens, and
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a series of empty rocking chairs poignantly suggestive of their owners. When asked which artists had most influenced her, Penzato mentioned Henri Matisse and Paul Gauguin. Her use of broad planes of color and her approach to brushwork along with a similar frame of mind in how the painting is organized does indeed call to mind the two Fauvists, although the end effect is definitively her own. Robert L. Thorn (Art Education) recently displayed his art work at Gilbert Stuart Museum in Rhode Island titled "New Forms” an exhibition of sculpture.
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Richard Corozine (Art Education), New Paltz painter, playwright, journalist and pan-generational scenester,
"I have been very proud to see my students go on to successful careers in CPA firms and corporations, as well as to assume positions in finance and administration on our own campus." —Sally M. Schultz (Anthropology) ’74
exhibited his 17-painting autobiographical series “Meetings with the Remarkable,” at the Wired Gallery in High Falls, N.Y., this past June.
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Danna E. (Spiridon) Ruth (Secondary Education 7-12 Mathematics) writes that she “has retired from managing a chiropractic office for 40 years and started full time grandmotherhood for Kane age 3+ and Diem age 1+. Finally, a job with perks.” Patricia (Musco) Streck (Art Education) ’70g (Art Education) and her husband Ronald welcomed their fourth grandchild, Nina
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Magdalena, on Aug. 19, 2015. She joins her brother Aleksander Francis and cousins Taylor Ann and William Anthony. Patti keeps busy adding new original artwork and vintage items to her Etsy.com shop, Pattistyle.
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Debra J. Branitz (Art Education) will exhibit her original oils on canvas at the Art Fusion Galleries in Miami, Fla., from January to March 2016. Stephen Greymorning (Anthropology) currently holds joint positions in Anthropology and Native American Studies at the University of Montana and is dedicated to Native American language revitalization. His research includes Native American language maintenance and restoration, indigenous sovereignty issues, and contemporary Native American issues. He has been instrumental in the development of a breakthrough method for second-language instruction and acquisition called “Accelerated Second Language Acquisition (ASLA).” His athletic accomplishments at the College were many and he went on to win the 3-meter event at the 2002 Master World Games in Melbourne, Australia.
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Sally M. Schultz (Anthropology) recently retired from the SUNY New Paltz School of Business. Her commitment to the success of the School of Business found its purest expression through her work with the many students who passed through her classes. “Teaching and mentoring is certainly the most rewarding part of being a faculty member,” she said. “The relatively small size of the New Paltz campus was important in helping to foster close studentfaculty relationships. I have been very proud to see my students go onto successful careers in CPA firms and corporations, as well as to assume positions in finance and administration on our own campus.” She will continue to
participate in accounting conferences following her retirement from New Paltz, and she looks forward to spending more time on the scholarship she has pursued with fellow School of Business faculty member Joan Hollister, studying archival accounting records to document business activities in Ulster County during the period from 1720-1850. “I am looking forward to returning to this scholarship, potentially with the goal of tying together the stories of the various individuals and businesses that we have already written about for an audience with more general historical interests,” she said. Denis Fred Simon (Asian Studies) has been appointed executive vice chancellor of Duke Kunshan University (DKU) in Kunshan, China. He joins DKU from Arizona State University, where he has served as senior adviser to the president for China-related strategic initiatives, executive director of the University Design Institute, and Foundation Professor of Contemporary Chinese Affairs in the School of Politics and Global Studies.
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Howard J. Seigel (Elementary Education) recently published a short story collection titled "Oblivious." These humorous tales of woe are character driven with a focus on melancholy, misfortune and the absurd. Visit oblivioustales.com to view story synopses and excerpts. Susan C. Stessin-Cohn (Elementary Education) is launching a New Paltz Historical Society and is seeking members. StessinCohn, town historian, says, “I’m always working on different stuff, but I need people to work with; kindred spirits that just love history and want to get excited with me about it.”
THREE NEW PALTZ FACULTY GARNER NATIONAL SCIENCE FOUNDATION FUNDS
Lauren Meeker, associate professor of anthropology at New Paltz, was awarded nearly $47,000 to undertake an ethnographic study of the relationship between social belonging and moral personhood in a rural village community in Vietnam. The NSF also awarded a grant to Benjamin Junge, associate professor in the departments of anthropology and Latin American and Caribbean studies. Junge will receive a total of $138,492 to fund a three-year investigation into the effects of a recent, rapid expansion of the Brazilian middle class. Another NSF grant in the amount of $50,000 was awarded to Assistant Professor of Psychology Navin Viswanathan, for his project, “Making words disappear or appear: A neurocognitive and behavioral investigation of effects of speech rate on spoken word recognition.”
Lauren Meeker, associate professor of anthropology at New Paltz, will spend three months abroad during the spring ’16 semester, during which time she will work alongside Vietnamese practitioners of Buddhist rituals that play an important role in establishing the moral identities of individual villagers and the society as a whole.
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Catherine Taggett (Art Education), along with members of the G’ana’k’w canoe family, will arrive in Blaine at Telescope Beach along Marine Drive after completing an historic five-day, 60-mile canoe journey. They will be the first native canoes in more than a century to make Blaine their destination. Blaine residents Ron Snyder and Cathy Taggett, owners of The Circle of Trees art studio and homestead, and members of the G’ana’k’w canoe family, talked about the journey to Blaine, and the resurgence in native culture and its relationship to canoe culture in the Northwest in May at the Blaine Library. Read more here: www.bellinghamherald.com/ entertainment/article22293708. html#storylink=cpy
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Robin S. Cohen-La Valle (Psychology) was appointed dean of students within the Division of Student Affairs at SUNY New Paltz. She has served as interim dean of students since 2014.
Susan M. Fraser (Art History) is the director of the LuEsther T. Mertz Library at The New York Botanical Garden where she oversees the world’s largest botanical and horticultural library. She plays a pivotal role in the exhibition program in Garden’s Art Gallery and oversees the Humanties Institute, a research division of the library. She is an active member of the Council of Botanical and Horticultural Libraries, has served on the Executive Committee of the Biodiversity Heritage Library and on the Council of the Torrey Botanical Society as the society’s historian. She has contributed articles to important journals and books focusing on the history of botany, art and libraries. She co-edited the award-winning book “Flora Illustrata” which received the 2015 book award from the American Horticultural Society for outstanding gardening books published in North America, and the 2015 Annual Literature Award from the Council of Botanical and Horticultural Libraries.
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Brent A. Cutler (History) began 25-year career in the New York City school district and went on to create several educational initiatives, including the Freshman Center, aimed at providing transferrable college credits to students. The program’s goal is to see more high school students obtain a college degree. After retiring from the New York City Public School District, he developed the paralegal program at Touro College in 2011, where he now serves as director. Brent also serves as a board director of the SUNY New Paltz Foundation. Annie E. Nocenti (Art Education) writes of her river home on the Esopus in the June 2015 “Explore Hudson Valley” news in a piece titled “Of Flip-flops and Floods.” Terrence Louis Olivo (Educational Administration) was welcomed as one of four new members to the Orange Regional Medical Center’s Foundation Board of Trustees. Terrence has been a public school educator for 47 years and for more than
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on campus serving as a campus Chaplain. She has created a food pantry serving the needs of off-campus students and staff in need.
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Amy Jo (Knowles) Marshall ’86 (History) is currently director of the Craig Public Library in Alaska and was awarded the National Medal from the Institute of Museum and Library Service this year. The award was given at the White House and presented to Amy by First Lady Michelle Obama.
38 of these years, he has been employed as a central office administrator. He began his career in the Highland Central School District as a history teacher. He left Highland in January 1979 to become the assistant superintendent for personnel in the Monroe-Woodbury Central School District. Ten years later, he became the district's superintendent of schools and held the position until his retirement in August 2004. In July 2007, he accepted an invitation to serve OrangeUlster BOCES as chief operating officer during the agency's search for a new district superintendent. He served in that position for six years, retiring in August 2013. During his tenure as chief operating officer, he oversaw the conversion of the former Arden Hill Hospital into the Orange-Ulster BOCES Regional Education Center, which serves both adult and school age students from throughout the mid-Hudson area. It officially opened in September 2013 and the building was named the Terrence L. Olivo Building in recognition of his leadership. He currently serves the Mid-Hudson School Study Council as director of research. He is also a member
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New Paltz
of Orange Regional Medical Center's Performance Improvement Committee.
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John A. Adams (Business Administration) has a Consolidated Funding Application proposal that is being considered by the town board to turn the Colony Farm into an agri-tourism attraction as a working dairy farm specializing in high-quality milk for artisanal cheese and ice cream. In addition, the farm would link up trails, such as the Long Trail, and open a trail into the Lundy Farm tract leading into the Catskills. The Consolidated Funding Application process allows businesses, towns and not-for-profit grant writers to work on completing applications for their projects. Rick Joseph Alfandre (Communication Studies) hosted a mixer for the New Paltz Chamber of Commerce to tour the award-winning green and sustainable building designed and constructed by Alfandre Architecture on Main Street in New Paltz.
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Dianna L. Smith (Political Science) is back
Kevin James Hurley (Visual Arts) just released “Cut and Cover,” an espionage thriller that takes place in the Hudson Valley, as far south as Brooklyn and north to Woodstock. It’s the first book in a series to be published over the next several years. “Cut and Cover” is available at all national retailers including Amazon, Barnes and Noble, Walmart and Target. You can visit his website at www.silkreel.com
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Michael Dubois (Visual Arts) has created artwork for the Grateful Dead for years. His designs have also been featured on merchandise sold by former band members as they embarked on solo projects following the 1995 death of lead guitarist Jerry Garcia. Multiple pieces of his artwork were featured during the final shows in Chicago, and two that preceded the Windy City in California. Official Grateful Dead-related artwork, generated in the Hudson Valley by DuBois, appeared on one poster each for the shows in Chicago and those in Santa Clara, Calif.; a t-shirt for both cities; and three separate posters, for each night in Chicago, that featured interlocking images. DuBois also crafted artwork for a concert-related postcard and poster for HeadCount, a voter registration organization; and a hat and shirt design for the Garcia estate. You can check out more of this homegrown handiwork on Tinker Street in Woodstock, where DuBois operates a shop, Happylife Store and Gallery. Maureen Lohan-Bremer (Educational Administration) has been appointed the new Financial Aid Director at SUNY New Paltz.
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Alessandro P. Bertoni (Business Administration) is director of marketing and communications at Saint Michael’s College in Vermont. Beyond academia, he has led marketing efforts in community building and online banking as well as in renewable energy. Jane Bloodgood-Abrams (Painting-Drawing) is one of the area’s most celebrated landscape artists, who graces viewers with her Luminist-inspired compositions of the Hudson River Valley, exhibited at Carrie Haddad Gallery in Hudson, N.Y. Arthur Joseph Pfister (English) released a new book "Jazz Stories from Katrina to Connecticut.” A poet and fiction writer from New Orleans, Pfister is a spoken word artist, humorist, educator, performer, editor, monologist, speechwriter and recipient of the Asante Award.
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Maureen Cunningham (Education) is a teacher at Rhinebeck High School and has been named among the recipients of the 32nd annual Dean’s Award for Excellence in Teaching at the SUNY New Paltz School of Education. She has taught English at Rhinebeck High School for the past 29 years and plans to retire this month. She was nominated for the award by school administrators and selected by a committee of education faculty and professionals. The SUNY New Paltz Dean’s Award for Excellence in Teaching honors excellence, innovation, service, professionalism, commitment and enthusiasm. Gwen M. Lawrence ’90g (Metal) has been a practicing fitness professional since 1990. Her current practice includes private yoga training, class instruction and her sport-specific power yoga for sports training program: www.poweryogaforsports.com. She has been the yoga instructor for more than 20 years for sev-
eral New York Yankees baseball players, team yoga instructor for the New York Giants, New York Knicks, New York Red Bulls, New York Rangers, several major college teams, including Yale and the University of North Carolina, and many youth teams in a variety of sports. She is also the official spokesperson for Gaiam TV, and ambassador for Lululemon and Manduka, Gaiam, Prismsport, Lululemon, and Kulae. Her writing appears in “Men's Health,” “Women's Health,” “Fitness Magazine,” “Shape Magazine,” “Yoga Journal,” “Details” magazine, and shape.com, espn.com. She makes regular appearances on “NBC TODAY show,” “Good Day NY" and many TV news and national radio shows. Gwen also owns her own yoga school where she trains people to teach the power of yoga for sports systems. She was named to 2010 Westchester's Best list. She was featured in ESPN Magazine as “The Best Innovation in Sports Medicine.” She is a featured teacher for Gaiam. Gwen has been seen in Gaiam Ads in “Yoga Journal.” Her first book was released in February, “Body Sculpting with Yoga.” She married her high school sweetheart nearly 25 years ago and has three sons 18, 19 and 22.
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Gerard F. McHugh (Communication) was one of the honorees at the 22nd annual Construction Management Association of America (CMAA) NY/NJ Metro Chapter Awards Banquet held on June 12, 2015, at Club 101 in New York City. As one of the recipients of a 2015 CMAA Metro NY/NJ Scholarship Grant, he will use his award to help fund his education at Columbia University, which will help him embark on his second career as a construction or facilities manager.
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Kevin Hogan (Political Science) is the director of Speaker’s Correspondence, for the New York State Assembly.
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Larissa M. Branin (Journalism) was executive producer of a 10-part video series, “California Matters,” with Mark Bittman, which ran weekly in The New York Times. The program was produced by the University of California, where she is Multimedia Director and host/ producer of “CBS Radio News Science Today.” Valerie Ann Filancia (Communication Media) has joined Houlihan Lawrence in Chappaqua as a real estate salesperson. Prior to joining the Chappaqua office, Filancia worked as a corporate trainer and executive coach at Indigo Resources. She also is the co-leader of Brownie Trip of Heart of the Hudson and an active volunteer at Bedford Road School. Frank B. Hochreiter (Educational Administration) and his wife Carol have featured work in a new exhibit at the Strant Center for the Arts titled “Duet.” The couple exhibits their work together regularly in a variety of venues from fine art galleries to gourmet restaurants. Sharon A. McGinnis (Business Administration) is on the board of directors of Central Hudson Gas & Electric Corporation and was appointed as vice president of human resources and safety. She also serves as a volunteer on the Board of Directors of Hudson Valley Hospice.
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Noelle Dawn Doughty (Art History), lead singer of the all-female rock ensemble "Zepparella" which pays tribute to the British Rock band Led Zeppelin, returned to her roots playing at The Chance in Poughkeepsie, N.Y. She currently resides in Placer County, Calf. Gregory Joseph Moore (Graphic Design) owns and operates Casual Graffix, LLC, DBA Bear Essentials Screen Printing and Embroidery. He previously served in the U.S. Armed Forces.
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Adam J. Schenkman (History) was appointed the new town historian in Gardiner, N.Y. Suzanne M. Stokes (Metal) is associate professor/foundation coordinator of the art department at SUNY New Paltz. She won the 2015 Provost Award for Faculty Excellence and in Teaching.
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Jonathan Wahl ’95 Democracy/Theocracy from the series American Heritage, 1994 tin, rope, 17 ¼ x 10 ½ inches in diameter. Gift of the artist. Reading Objects 2015: Responses to the Museum's Collection was the sixth iteration of this very popular project where faculty and professional staff at the College are invited to view objects that have been preselected by museum staff from The Dorsky's permanent collection. Museum staff choose objects for display using two criteria: the artworks should have the potential for a wide range of narrative interpretations and should have rarely or never before been on public display.
Onika Tamara Jervis (Educational Administration) was presented the 2015 College's Heritage Award. She has been a consistent volunteer with the College for more than 20 years. She has served as an instrumental chair and organizer of the First World alumni-reunion steering committee on multiple occasions. An active donor focused on cultivating First World participation in the life of the College, she served many years on the Liberal Arts and Sciences Advisory Board, including as chair, and is a member of the Alumni Advisory Council representing the SUNY New Paltz Alumni Association. She has been an active fundraiser for SUNY New Paltz, most recently working to create awareness of the Dr. Margaret Wade-Lewis Memorial Scholarship Endowment. She is employed as associate director of graduate placement and university summer programs at Xavier University in New Orleans, La. John Wai (Accounting) joins the San Francisco market of Siegfried Group, LLP as director. In his free time, John stays active through sports and other hobbies. He is an accomplished bowler and sports a 190+ average. He also enjoys tennis, basketball and martial arts.
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Renee Mechelle Castillo (Psychology) was hired as the new prinicpal for Barstow Memorial School in Vermont. Mark E. Fleischhauer (Computer Science) is running unopposed for re-election for the Rhinebeck
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School Board. Fleischhauer, is the Board’s current president, a member of the Rhinebeck-Rheinbach Exchange program, the Rhinebeck Alumni Association, Boy Scout Troop 128, and is an usher at Church of the Good Shepard. He currently works as a Data Support Analyst with ArchCare. He is a lifelong resident of the Rhinebeck school district and he has two children with wife Mary, a teacher in the district. Joseph Wrafter (Geography) was appointed the commissioner of the Department of Planning and Development in Dutchess County, N.Y.
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Radames Carlo (Psychology) has obtained his PhD in Business Administration - Organizational Management from Northcentral University in May 2015 He is also founder and host of the New Paltz WNPC TV show "Fiebre Latina.” Brenden Patrick Cusack (Sec Ed 7-12 English) was unanimously appointed by the Huntington School Board to become Huntington High School’s newest principal. Cusack is currently assistant principal. Bernadette M. Morris (Communication Studies), formerly registrar at SUNY New Paltz has assumed a new position for Southern California’s Whittier College as registrar. Mathew Swerdloff (Educational Administration) has been appointed to the position of executive director of educational support services in the Hendrick Hudson School District. Formerly the director of technology at Hendrick Hudson, Swerdloff’s new role will include instructional technology, professional learning, and human resources for the district. Jonathan Wahl (Metal), director
of the Jewelry Center 92nd St Y, currently has a piece (bucket shape) on exhibit in The Dorsky as part of the Reading Object exhibition.
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Scot E. Beckerman (Education Administration) now resides in Wanaque, N.J., and was appointed as the superintendent of schools for Northern Highlands Regional School District in Allendale, N.J. Northern Highlands serves the four communities of Allendale, Upper Saddle River, Ho-Ho-Kus and Saddle River, N.J. Carrie A. Corti (Art History) has been promoted to director of pre-award services at SUNY New Paltz. Laura L. Kniffen (Visual Arts) has been promoted to design services manager at SUNY New Paltz. Brian Samuel Lerner (Communication Media) and fellow filmmaker Ryan Maples combine their shared love of film and music and the power of both to tell the story of Jon, a 15-year-old outcast who becomes obsessed with Michelle, his beautiful 22-year-old guitar teacher and, influenced by the legendary metal icon Luke Wolf, gets a little crazy as he tries to win her love. The power of a broken heart and the power music has to mend a broken heart is at the core of “Jon & The Wolf.” Lerner and Maples have spun their feature-length script into a short film that they plan to shoot in the fall and use as a tool to make the feature film. Using the crowdfunding website Indiegogo.com, they hope to raise the remainder of funds needed to fully finance the production of the short film. More details and to find out how to contribute can be found here: http://igg.me/at/Jonandthewolf/ Jordan E. Schor (Communication Studies) opened a new restaurant, “End Cut,” in New Paltz, N.Y. The
restaurant features a FrenchItalian fusion menu.
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Victor M. Mullen (Art Education) has an exhibition of his paintings on display at the Frank J. Mahoney Memorial Gallery, inside the bookstore at 678 Main St., in Hobart, N.J.
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Elizabeth Marie Paldino (Art Studio) recently graduated magna cum laude from Queens College, receiving her MLIS with a specialty in children's and young adult services in the public library.
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Nestor Madalengoitia’s (Painting) exhibit "Stories We Tell" will feature her painting "Happy Hour" at The Samuel Dorsky Museum of Art at SUNY New Paltz. Ana Luisa Morfe (Accounting) celebrates the grand opening of her Allstate Insurance Agency in Fairfield, Conn.
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Julie Ann Armbruster (Visual Arts Education) exhibited her "Fake Whiskers" collection at The Grit in Ashville, N.C. Karen Valentine Berman (Journalism) welcomed a baby boy, Matthew Anthony, born March 18, 2014. She currently resides in Fort Lauderdale, Fla. Nathan George Ganio (Painting) along with Rosemary (Rose) Smith are the new owners of A Tavola, a restaurant in New Paltz, N.Y. Josh Reed (Communication & Media) has joined Hasbro as director of digital marketing for their face-to-face gaming business following nearly eight years in ad agency account management and strategy role for brands like General Motors, P&G, New Balance and CVS Health in Boston, Mass. In this new role, he leads online brand marketing globally,
Alumni Council ratifies constitution and elects new officers The College is pleased to announce that the SUNY New Paltz Alumni Council has ratified its constitution and held its first election for officers who, along with the Director of Alumni Relations, make up its Executive Committee. Terms begin immediately and last until August 31, 2017. EXECUTIVE COMMITTEE President Anthony Winn ’92 (Business Administration) Vice President Robin Cohen-LaValle ’77 (Psychology and Communication) ’82g (Psychology) Secretary Amanda Gresens-Rogers ’08 (Communication) Representative to the College Council Alan Dunefsky ’69 (Biology) ’91g (Humanistic Multicultural Education) Director of Alumni Relations Shana Circe ’02 (Art Education) ’08g (Visual arts) The Alumni Council plays a vital role in the success of alumni relations at New Paltz and is charged with assisting the College in better engaging its alumni. The Council represents the 64,000 members of the official SUNY New Paltz Alumni Association, the only alumni group recognized by the College. For more information visit www.newpaltz.edu/alumni.
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Club. On July 24, his book, “A Not Too Greatly Changed Eden: The Story of the Philosophers' Camp in the Adirondacks” (Ithaca and London: Cornell University Press, 2015) was featured on NPR's "All Things Considered.”
More than Blackbeard
"The Queen Anne's Revenge project of the North Carolina Department of Natural and Cultural Resources is more than Blackbeard and pirates. It's about educating the next generation on colonial life, making a true economic impact in the Crystal Coast region and creating partnerships to foster breakthroughs in archaeological research." — http://www.qaronline.org/ See Jeremy Borrelli ’12 note
for game brands like Monopoly, Scrabble, Twister, Clue, Jenga and Simon. Martha G. (Snider) Ward (English) has joined Castle Lanterra Properties as director of investor relations. Christopher James Wright (Communication Studies) was appointed to dean of admissions and enrollment managment at Massachusetts College of Art and Design. In 2014, he was appointed to the SUNY New Paltz Alumni Council, the body that represents the SUNY New Paltz Alumni Association. He and his wife welcomed a new baby boy in November 2015.
02
Kari Marie Giordano (Graphic Design) has been awarded the seventh annual James C. Kapteyn Prize for her exceptional work as a teacher, coach and mentor at Mount Everett Regional School in Sheffield, Mass. James A. Schlett (Journalism) welcomed to the world a daughter, Rory Autumn Schlett on June 23, 2015. In addition, the spring 2015 edition of New York Archives magazine featured his article on Emerson's Adirondack
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New Paltz
Camille L. Suckie (Sociology) has been promoted to senior financial aid advisor for Work Study & Scholarships at SUNY New Paltz.
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Lacey Haden Fekishazy (Painting) lives and works at GlenLily and runs an art gallery called SARDINE in Bushwick, Brooklyn. http://sardinebk.com/ Matthew Marcel Jankowski (Political Science) is an associate at the Kingston, N.Y., and Marlboro, N.Y., law firm Rusk, Wadlin, Heppner & Martuscello, LLP, and was elected President of the Ulster County Bar Association. Vicky Kathlyn Jeudy (Theatre Arts) is best known for her breakout role on the American comedydrama hit series, “Orange Is the New Black,” as Janae Watson, a former high school track star who, after one wrong turn, becomes an inmate at Litchfield Penitentiary. In her free time she is a certified kick boxing and aerobics instructor. Timothy W. Roberson (Computer Science) is web application programmer of Computer Services at SUNY New Paltz and recipient of the 2015 Chancellor's Award for Excellence in Professional Service. Steven Erich Tobitsch (Elementary Ed Pre K-6 History) married Erin Foley on August 16, 2014 in Trumbull, Conn.
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Lindsey Nowicki (Sociology) has worked for 10 years at Hudson Valley DDSO. Recently engaged, she and her fiancé are planning a fall 2017 wedding.
Christina Spoor Pahucki (Art Education) will have her paintings of the Black Dirt region featured in “Fresh Art from the Farm/Art Trail” and Rogowski Farm. She has been teaching art for 11 years, the last eight at Goshen Middle School. She shares her energy and artistic talent with her students, pushing them to compete and succeed in many art competitions.
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Danielle Kathleen Lindner (History) was named assistant to the director of Athletics, Wellness & Recreation at SUNY New Paltz. Jessica Pasko (Journalism) accepted a public relations job for tech firms in Silicon Valley after nearly a decade of working for print, broadcast and online news outlets. She misses reporting, particularly crime and legal reporting, but likes the benefits. When not working, she is enjoying life by the beach in sunny Santa Cruz, Calif. Kyra Thornton (Elementary Education) completed her Juris Doctor degree at Albany Law School in 2015 and was part of the inaugural Pro Bono Scholars Program. She is now an assistant district attorney for the Bronx District Attorney's Office.
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Joseph V. Cosentino (Humanistic-Multicultural Education) released his latest novel "Drama Queen" published by Lethe Press available in paperback and ebook in all formats: Visit online at www.lethepressbooks.com/store/p303/Drama_ Queen%3A_A_Nicky_and_Noah_ Mystery.html. Richard David Randall (Communication Media) is former Rochester Lancers President and was added to the front office of the Western New York Flash. He will serve as the club's newest general manager, a role that was held by head coach Aaran Lines since 2011. Randall will oversee
all business operations for the team, with a focus on the Rochester market. Sarah Elizabeth Roberson (Biology) has been promoted to associate registar at SUNY New Paltz. Jeffrey Michael Sosis (Accounting) and his wife Laura Brennan Sosis (Elementary Education/ Special Education) ’06 ’08g are proud to announce the birth of their son, Leo John, born April 8, 2015.
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Christopher Edward Manning (Painting-Drawing) is the exhibitions assistant at The Aldrich Contemporary Art Museum, as well as a professor of visual art at Manhattanville College. He has also taught at the College of New Rochelle, and has been a visiting critic at the Wassail Project and SUNY New Paltz MFA and BFA programs. His work has been exhibited at Exit Art, N.Y.; Dorsky Curatorial Projects, LIC, N.Y.; Catskill Art Society, Livingston Manor, N.Y.; Lift Trucks Projects, N.Y.; The Auction Project, Miami, Fla.; CODA Gallery, PDX; The Samuel Dorsky Museum of Art, N.Y.; Ann Street Gallery, Newburgh, N.Y.; Manhattanville College; Iona College; The Susan D. Goodman Collection, among others. He has been featured in The New York Times, The Queens Chronicle, and Kolaj Magazine.
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Lilah Rose Carlaw (Psychology) has been hired by the University Police Department at SUNY New Paltz. Donald Scott Urmston (Adolescence Ed: Social Studies) was awarded tenure and promoted to the rank of assistant professor (effective August 2015) in the business department at SUNY Orange.
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David Chandler (Political Science) is an assistant district attorney in Sullivan County, N.Y. where he prosecutes a range
of felonies and misdemeanors. He received his Juris Doctor with high honors from University at Buffalo Law School and was admitted to the New York State Bar in 2014. Keron Lewis (HumanisticMulticultural Education) was hired as evening operation supervisor for SUNY New Paltz Instructional Media Services. Gina Elizabeth Marinelli (Journalism) is the fashion editor for Branded Content at Refinery 29. Emma Elizabeth Simon (English) earned a master’s degree in English Education and is now a 6th grade writing teacher in Boston, Mass. She writes, “As is tradition in my school, homeroom leads get to name their classrooms after their alma maters in order to keep students collegeminded, and to introduce them to schools that they could one day attend. This year, I have the honor of being a homeroom lead and will be naming my homeroom after New Paltz! I'm very excited to share my New Paltz experience with my students to build a little Hawk pride in Boston!”
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Elyse Olechnowicz (Biology) recently graduated from Virginia-Maryland Regional College of Veterinary Medicine. She has been appointed to an intership at Cummings School of Veterinary Medicine at Tufts University.
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Megan Nicole Alexsa (Childhood Education B-2) and Mariel Melnick ran the Walkway half marathon. Organziers declared the inaugural Walkway Marathon race a big hit with runners of all ages and experience levels. The event drew over 2,500 athletes who hailed from 31 states and six countries, including the U.S., Canada, Brazil, South Africa, Italy and Israel.
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Jeremy Borrelli (Anthropology) has added several noteworthy achievements to his resume, including three years with the project that first sparked his interest in the field, the Queen Anne’s Revenge Shipwreck Project at the Conservation Laboratory in Greenville, N.C. He has participated in field excavations of the Queen Anne’s Revenge, and recovered several large artifacts such as cannons and rigging. Borrelli spent three months working with Jaco Boshoff, the curator of maritime archaeology at the Iziko South African Museum archaeology lab. Through his association with Boshoff, Borelli joined a field team recovering items from what is believed to be the wreck of the Portuguese slave ship, Sao Jose, which sank in 1794 carrying a large consignment of human cargo off the coast of Cape Town. The wreck is part of the African Slave Wrecks Project, established in partnership with Iziko Museums, George Washington University, the National Park Service, South African Heritage Resources Agency and the Smithsonian. The project developed as an extension of Boshoff’s research into the Dutch slave ship, Meermin, which sank in 1766. Andrew R. Carden (Journalism) covered New York state politics as a reporter for The Legislative Gazette before pursuing his master's in journalism and public policy at Northeastern University. While at Northeastern, he worked in “the War Room” at Mitt Romney's presidential campaign headquarters in Boston and later interned with Massachusetts Senate Minority Leader Bruce Tarr (RGloucester). He graduated from Northeastern in August 2013. For the past two years, he has served as Legislative Aide to Massachusetts State Representative Diana DiZoglio (D-Methuen). Alana Rae Davis (Journalism) along with Newtown native Cristin
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Carlin (Ithaca College), Ana Psoncak (Fordham College), Rachel Olsen (Kalamazoo College), Alexandria Kelly (Hofstra University), and Katherine Bamberg (Clark College), have started their own film festival in Newtown, Conn., which took place in September. They are frequenters of the film festival circuit and having traveled all over the country to work at events such as Sundance Film Fest, Tribeca Film Fest, New York International Film Fest, Brooklyn Film Fest, Woodstock Film Fest, Los Angeles Film Fest, Mill Valley Film Fest and many more. The 3-day, donation-based Newtown festival hosted select features and shorts focused on education, creative expression, feel-good humor, life-lessons and animation. They were proud to bring Academy Award Nominated features, “Song
"The EvoS course was invaluable to me and I will come back and visit lectures in the future!"—Tisa Nicolette Loewen ’15 (Anthropology)
of the Sea” and Sundance Film Festival hits “Most Likely to Succeed” to the Newtown community. Christine Mary Deya (Sociology) earned her master’s degree from the Chicago School of Professional Psychology in August 2015. She is currently pursuing her PhD in clinical psychology at the Chicago School.
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Ryan Jonathan Chappell (History) plays mandolin for "Upstate Rubdown" a band that formed in New Paltz and seamlessly fuses the energy of Django Reinhardt with the grace of the Andrews Sisters. He has also written about the guitar for the “For Dummies” series of books.
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New Paltz
Elisha Marie Brestovansky (Accounting) has been promoted to in-charge accountant at the firm of Vanacore, DeBenedictus, DiGovanni & Weddell, LLP. She joined the firm in January 2014 and is working in the tax department at the Newburgh office. Ian J. Brodsky (Theatre Arts) stars in Woody Guthrie’s “American Song.” The musical ran at the newly renovated Actor Equity Theater (Shadowlands). Woody Guthrie’s “American Song” chronicles the subject’s travels through America in the era of the Great Depression and World War II, and traces the development of one of America’s greatest voices and greatest consciences. He is joined by fellow graduates, current students and faculty of SUNY New Paltz, Michael Castillo (Stage Manager), Eli Reid (Techincal Director/Lighting Design), Tim VanEtten (Lighting Design), Caitlynn Barrett (Asst. Stage Manager), Cooper Mulderry (Technical Intern) and Brendan Burke (Producing Artisitc Director). Dillon Bryce Nash (Sociology) was appointed vice president of Speedy Lien, New York, N.Y.
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Sarah Anne Prosser (English) has designed The Stop Motion Animation Class for children, which will be offered at the Gardiner Library in Gardner, N.Y. This program is a fun exercise in fine-motor skills, attention to detail, filmmaking, and photography. This program is an excellent way for children to use their growing imaginations and explore the rudiments of stop motion film making.
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Abbott M. Brant (Journalism) is the newest reporter at the “Poughkeepsie Journal”. She knew she wanted to be a journalist since she was 13 and wanted to write about bands that sound like painful screaming. She was the editor-in-chief of The Oracle while attending SUNY New Paltz. She interned at the Journal last fall, and she likes to
think she provides comic relief to the newsroom (though some may disagree). These days, she writes news stories on a variety of topics, but as the newly designated country-music liaison, you may also see Abbott wearing cowboy boots at a local country concert. When she’s not working, she likes ’70s horror movies and eating excessive amounts of sushi. Tisa Nicolette Loewen (Anthropology) is currenlty doing graduate level study in evolution and anthropology at New York University. She writes, “The EvoS course was invaluable to me and I will come back and visit lectures in the future!”
Alumnus retires as New Paltz's Head Men's Soccer Coach
Gene Ventriglia ’67, one of the most successful student-athletes in SUNY New Paltz history, retired from his position as the Hawks’ head men’s soccer coach in fall 2015. After 16 seasons spent coaching at various regional high schools and 24 years as the head coach of women’s soccer at Army West Point, Ventriglia came back to coach the Hawks in 2010.
Athletic News
"I will forever cherish my five seasons at the College as the head coach of the sport I love." —Gene Ventriglia ’67
“Ever since the completion of my playing career as a Hawk, I had always hoped to finish my coaching career at the institution that truly shaped my life,” Ventriglia said. “Coming back to New Paltz was the achievement of that dream. I only hope I have challenged my players to be all they can be and made a little difference in their overall development as young adults.” Ventriglia had been a legend of New Paltz athletics long before his appointment as head coach of the men’s soccer program. He was a member of the 1965 men’s soccer team that won an NCAA regional title and a SUNYAC title. His 36 goals scored that year are believed to be the all-time record for men’s soccer at the College. Ventriglia gained three All-America citations and was named Soccer Magazine’s Player of the Year as a senior. He represented his country at the 1967 Pan American Games and the 1968 Olympic Games. Ventriglia was inducted into the New Paltz Athletics Hall of Fame in 1982.
New Paltz made great strides under Ventriglia’s leadership. His most successful season came in 2012, when he led the men’s team to the State University of New York Athletic Conference (SUNYAC) Tournament semifinals behind 11 wins, the most by a New Paltz head men’s soccer coach since 2004. “To understand the impact of this circle for Gene is to understand and to appreciate a man who came from very humble beginnings and flourished here as a student before coming back to New Paltz to show the meanings of his journey," said Director of Athletics, Wellness & Recreation Stuart Robinson. "Gene will always hold a very special place in New Paltz Athletics.”
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Alumni-Student Relationship
First-Year Internship program celebrates first year of success
T
he Career Resource Center and the Office of Alumni Relations joined forces in 2014 to offer a brand new First-Year Internship Program, an opportunity for connecting new students with SUNY New Paltz alumni who are working on campus. One year into the popular initiative, student and staff participants are applauding its success. “Students were extremely interested and buzzed about this opportunity,” said internship coordinator Beth King ’95 (Psychology). “Through this program, departments offered our newest students a tremendous career advantage
Michelle Peilli ’99 (Fine and Performing Arts) works with Jennifer Galvin ’18, support intern for Research Scholarship and Creative Activities at SUNY New Paltz.
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New Paltz
by granting them exposure to a professional work environment and meaningful project experience.” King is joined in administering the First-Year Internship Program by fellow alumna and Service Learning Coordinator Erica Wagner ’08g (Humanistic/Multicultural Education). They work together to ensure that the program offers students a professional experience that they can be proud to put on their resumes, while also bonding them to the campus community through relationships with alumni staff. The program allowed future alumnus Matthew Jones
’17 (Geology), the opportunity to work with King in the Career Resource Center. As a result of this professional experience, Jones has subsequently been hired as a resident assistant. "The First-Year Internship Program is an incredible opportunity that allows ambitious students to get a head start on gaining experience in a professional setting,” said Jones. “This program has opened up many doors for my future and I wouldn't hesitate to encourage any and all first-year students to apply."
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APRIL 15
Scholarship Reception
UPCOMING
Events
Select events for alumni and friends. For a full listing visit www.newpaltz.edu/ alumni/events
reuniting networking connecting
APRIL 16
Alumni gathering in Westchester, hosted by Jeanette ’73 and Marty ’72 Johnson APRIL 28
Distinguished Speaker Series: Robert Kyncl ’95 (pictured above) is the Chief Business Officer at YouTube where he oversees all business functions including content, sales, marketing, platforms, access and strategy. APRIL 29–30
Athletics Alumni Spring weekend MAY
TBD: Welcome New Alumni Mixer JUNE 13
Federal Employees Give today to SUNY New Paltz through the Combined Federal Campaign Use CFC# 26917 to direct your gift to New Paltz students. Please allow us to thank you for your support by requesting a receipt from the local CFC- Taconic Vally CFC, #0644.
SUNY New Paltz Golf Tournament 18th Annual Doug Sheppard Classic JULY 16
Alumni gathering in Long Island, hosted by Aaron ’72 and Carol ’72 Grober.
NOTE NEW DATE FOR REUNION 2016!! OCTOBER 14-16
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In Memoriam
“It is in struggle and service with our brothers and sisters, individually and collectively, that we find the meaning of life.”
— Reverend Jesse Jackson, Sr. is an American civil rights activist, Baptist minister, and politician.
Salvatore Anastasio, professor emeritus of mathematics, passed away on Feb. 11, 2016. Sal graduated from the Courant Institute of New York University with a Ph.D. in mathematics. Following his graduation, he taught at Iona College, Fordham University, and for 30-plus years at SUNY New Paltz. While at New Paltz, Sal was named the recipient of the SUNY Chancellor’s Award for Excellence in Teaching (1979-1980). He retired from his full-time position in 2000 and taught as an adjunct lecturer at the College from 2001-2004. He led the masters’ program in math education, working closely with the School of Education, and he was instrumental in the development of the computer science program. “Sal was a dear friend whom I will miss very much,” said David Clark, professor emeritus of mathematics who joined the department along with Anastasio in 1970. “Throughout his time at SUNY he was a true stabilizing force in a department working through its formative and sometimes turbulent years. His work in the Math Department, be it instructional or service, was always done in his characteristically conscientious and thorough style that was a model for us all.”
1920 - 1929 Ms. Irene (Ellette) Connor ’28 1930-1939 Mrs. Kathryn (Fitzgerald) Oates ’39 1940-1949 Ms. Edythe M. (Smart) Abrams ’47 Mr. Frank O. Austin ’49 Mrs. Ruth M. (Murtha) Betts ’42 Ms. Rose M. (Mellert) Bowers ’42 Mrs. Arlene R. (Smith) Levien ’48 Mrs. Ruth L. (Lynn) Price ’48 1950-1959 Mr. Patrick F. Buckley ’57 Mrs. Marjorie (Harisak) Conklin ’57g Mr. Carl L. Cozzette ’55 Mr. Robert J. Glad ’59 Ms. Joan M. (Cahraman) Hull ’52 Mr. Gordon Jevons ’50 Ms. Nancy S. (Spicer) Krchniak ’55 Mr. Thomas James Moran ’57 Mr. John F. Morrissey ’59 Ms. Barbara (Bunting) Springer ’54 1960-1969 Mr. David C. Baker ’67 Mr. Fred Baruchin ’65 Ms. Anita S. Christoffel-Pell ’62 ’67g Mr. Robert Dillman ’63 Mr. David K. Garrity ’63 Col. Stuart A. Glazer ’68 Mr. Merritt E. Glennon ’67 Mr. John V. Higgins ’65 Mr. James R. Kidder ’66 Mr. James B. Lewy ’66 Dr. David Morton PhD ’68 Ms. Jeannie S. (Stahl) Ramundo ’64 Mrs. Carole E. (Purdy) Schleiter ’65 Ms. Barbara A. (Thieleman) Shepard ’66 Ms. Margaret F. Voorhies ’66 Mr. Michael Wald ’66 1970-1979 Ms. Anneke F. Arnold ’76 Mr. David H. August ’72 Mr. Mark S. Blank ’78
Dr. Linda A. Bubbers DPM ’76 Ms. Joyce M. Carey ’76 Ms. Sondra M. Fountain ’79 Ms. Dorothy J. Franco ’73 Mrs. Eleanor Halloran ’71 Mr. Robert S. Handel ’76 Ms. Elizabeth J. (Burrow) Kaseler ’77 Mr. Irwin G. Keyes ’73 Mr. Franklin W. Love ’79 Mr. Victor F. Quinn Jr. ’72 Dr. Gerald J. Robbins ’78 Mrs. Eugenia M. Roberts ’70 Mr. Daniel A. Schmidt ’74 Ms. Mildred (Muniz) Spillane ’78 Ms. Amelia M. Stier ’74 1980-1989 Mr. Anthony Cavaliere ’81 Mrs. Josette M. Ebbs ’88 Mr. Bruce A. Jones ’81 Ms. Nancy A. Kilgore ’84 Mr. Neil M. Poley ’84 Mrs. Claudia (Krainin) Zaclro ’83 1990-1999 Mr. Conan D. Carey ’90 Mr. Joseph E. Casella ’95 Mrs. Margaret A. (Waters) Knoblich ’95 2000-2015 Mr. Thomas J. Casey ’11 Ms. Shannon F. Chiger ’03 Ms. Cynthia L. Harkins ’01 (faculty) Mr. Robert Valentine Reilly ’14 Faculty & Staff Mr. William Allenson Dr. Yvonne Allenson Dr. Salvatore Anastasio Dr. Joseph Eulie Mr. Michael A. Lecesse ’73 Dr. Evan Littlefield Mr. Robert J. Manazza Ms. Robin M. Smith Dr. Harry White ’61g Mr. Michael Zadro
Retraction: Mrs. Kathleen Virga ’82 was inadvertently listed on p. 40 of the fall 2015 edition of New Paltz Magazine. She is not deceased.
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New Paltz
Planned Giving: Alan Dunefsky ’69 ’91g Alan Dunefsky ’69 (Biology) ’91g (Humanistic Multicultural Educatiton) first walked the halls of SUNY New Paltz as a freshman in 1965. Alan graduated with his degree in biology, and following a brief visit overseas, he returned to work in the Athletic Department, where he
served as a coach, administrator and educator for more than 35 years. Today, he is a trusted advisor in the College’s Office of Alumni Relations, reconnecting alumni with New Paltz and serving as a trusted source for College history. Alan and his beloved wife
Françoise love New Paltz. It has been part of their lives for half a century. They have decided that they will support the College by making testamentary gifts in their wills. Their gifts will serve students and public education at the College for generations to come.
Bradley Walker Tomlin: A Retrospective
August 31—December 11, 2016 Morgan Anderson Gallery
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